1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lid locking apparatus for locking and unlocking a lid for opening and closing an opening in a storage portion provided in a vehicle to and from the storage portion.
2. Description of the Related Art
As techniques for locking and unlocking a lid for opening and closing an opening in a storage portion provided in a vehicle to and from the storage portion, there exist a technique in which a knob portion that is operated to be opened and closed and a lock portion that is brought into engagement with an engagement portion on the storage portion side are formed into a single integrated structure (for example, refer to Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication JP-A-6-81527) and a technique in which the knob portion and the lock portion are formed as separate structures (for example, refer to Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication JP-A-8-207668 and Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication JP-A-11-34747).
In the technique in which the knob portion and the lock portion are formed into a single integrated structure, a spring is provided for bringing the lock portion into engagement with the engagement portion and biasing the knob portion in a direction in which the knob portion is held at a closed position. When the knob portion is operated to be opened against the basing force of the spring, the lock portion is swung together with the knob portion so as to cancel the engagement with the engagement portion. With the locking apparatus constructed as is described in the JP-A-6-81527, when the lock portion rides on the engagement portion to be locked at the closing operation of the lid, the knob portion is swung together. As a result, when the lid is operated to be closed while the knob portion is being grabbed by the occupant, the knob portion is swung, and the occupant, who is grabbing the knob portion, is caused to feel a feeling of physical disorder.
In addition, in the technique in which the knob member and the lock member are formed as the separate structures, a spring is provided for biasing the lock member in a direction in which the lock member is brought into engagement with the engagement portion. The biasing force of the spring is designed to be transmitted to the knob member via the lock member in a direction in which the knob member is held at the closed position. When the knob member is operated to be opened against the biasing force of the spring, the lock member is pushed by the knob member to thereby be swung, so that the engagement with the engagement portion is released. With the locking apparatus constructed as described in the JP-A-8-207668 and JP-A-11-34747, when the lock member rides on the engagement portion to be locked at the closed operation of the lid, since the construction is adopted in which the knob member and the lock members are formed as the separate members, the knob member is prohibited to be swung together. The problem inherent in the construction in which the knob portion and the lock portion are formed into the single integrated structure is solved.
In the technique in which the knob member and the lock member are formed as the separate structures. However, since the biasing force of the spring for biasing the lock member is designed to be transmitted to the knob member via the lock member, when the lock member rides on the engagement portion to be locked at the closed operation of the lid, the biasing of the knob member by the spring is cancelled by virtue of the action of the lock member, whereby looseness is allowed to be generated in the knob member. Accordingly, when the lid is closed while the knob member is being grabbed by the occupant, looseness is generated in the knob member. In this point, the occupant is forced to feel a feeling of physical disorder in the operation.